


Three Times Alec Had Their Backs, One Time They Had His

by Elliot-the-Wizard (PhantomWizard13)



Series: Here's to Everyone (Who Said We Never Had a Chance) [4]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Abandoned Work - Unfinished and Discontinued, Changing Tenses, Homophobic Slurs, Oops, Or Is It?, Pregnancy Scare, bullies are dealt with, genuinely thinking about deleting this bc y'all suck, there might be a few ocs but they're unimportant, this takes place before the other story, vaguely implied child abuse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-16
Updated: 2016-10-14
Packaged: 2018-08-20 09:13:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8244032
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PhantomWizard13/pseuds/Elliot-the-Wizard
Summary: In which Alec is the best big brother ever.





	1. Isabelle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _“Who was it that once dumped a slushie on that girl’s head after she wrote nasty words on Izzy’s locker?”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: HOMOPHOBIC SLURS.

 

It starts when Izzy flirts with a cheerleader.

Her name is Rachel and she's very pretty.

Izzy had stated- in that blunt, charming way of hers- that she thought Rachel was very cute ("really stunning") and would she like to go on a date with her?

Rachel- whom had always been a cheerful, kind girl- stared at her for a long moment.

Isabelle wasn't sure what she had expected. She was one of the most beautiful girls in school- and that was't vanity, it was confidence- and she wasn't used to rejection. If someone didn't want her, she'd shrug and move on. If they did, she'd have a good time until they left for something more serious. Business as usual.

But Rachel didn't politely decline or accept. Her beautiful, surprised face twisted into a sneer, disgusted and angry.

"How dare you!" she hissed. "You're a fucking _dyke?"_

Isabelle flinched back. "That's," she said, trying to hold herself together, "a very  _mean_ thing to say."

Rachel gave a cruel laugh like Isabelle had never heard from her. "Mean? You shouldn't  _exist._ You like girls, all of a sudden? Either you're confused or you're sent by the devil."

Some of the people around them nodded, agreeing silently. Others looked rather uncomfortable, but no one came forward.

 _The devil?_   Isabelle wanted to ask. _Ho_ _w dumb are you?_

 

But she said nothing. She found she couldn't get her lips to move.

Her and Rachel had always been on good terms. Rachel had always been sweet and non-judgmental, never giving Izzy shit for her skin color or her fashion sense. Izzy had  _liked_ her.

After a moment of Isabelle's stunned silence, Rachel gave a contemptuous snort. "Whatever,  _faggot._ " she hissed, pushing past her.

Isabelle stood there, alone as the others filtered out, some sympathetic and others disgusted, feeling rather numb.

After one long minute that felt like hours, she gathered herself and put on a brave face. She would be fine. She would face the rest of the day, and maybe tonight she could eat too much ice cream and watch some shitty vampire show.

She left the room like a warrior: graceful, strong, and alone.

 

The next day, she came to school and her locker was ruined.

_Slut. Faggot. Bitch. Dyke._

Nasty words were painted all over her locker, inside and out. Her papers were torn up and painted over, her binder graffitied with more insults. Her uniform was  _torn._

Tears stung at her eyes, but she held her head high and said nothing.

 

Alec found out. 

She had skipped class to cry silently in the janitor's closet (the janitor rarely worked during school hours), mentally reprimanding herself for losing it over something so small.

It's just- it's just she  _hates that._ She hates that  _so much._ Why does it matter that she likes girls? Why does it matter she likes girls  _and_ boys? 

It makes her want to scream, to cry-

Well. She  _is_ crying.

 

Alec slips into the closet wordlessly. He's stony-faced. 

"A-Alec?" she asked, and he held out a hand.

"C'mon," he said, the beginnings of a smile twitching at the corners of his lips.

She grabbed his hand, still a bit confused, and he pulled her up.

He looked around the cramped little room for a moment, frowning.

"A closet," Isabelle laughed weakly. "I know, an ironic choice considering, but..." 

"It's okay," Alec said softly. "If you're not okay. They were  _wrong."_

"So you don't think I'm... I don't know. You're okay with this?"

Alec gave a sheepish look. "I'd be a bit hypocritical if I wasn't."

She blinked, eyes going wide with surprise. "You're bisexual?"

Alec shook his head, refusing to make eye contact. "Gay," he said. "But there's nothing wrong with liking both, either."

She hugged him, burying her face in his shoulder. 

"Thanks," she said into his shirt.

He smiled, hugging her back. "Thank  _you_ ," he said.

After a moment, she pulled back giving him a teasing look. "Aren't you supposed to be  _in class_ _?_ '"

Alec blinked innocently. "Am I?" he asked, but the smirk tugging at his lips gave him away.

She laughed. "Alec Lightwood, skipping class."

"Only for you," Alec grinned. 

(She knew that wasn't completely true. Really, it was more like 'for literally anyone Alec cared about'. Despite his rule-following policy and strict goody-two shoe mindset, he was selfless that way.)

"Anyway," Alec continued, "c'mon. Milkshakes?"

She gave him a slightly amazed look that he missed, but followed him out of the cramped closet.

 

They ended up in their favorite ice cream shop.

They talked for hours (missing more class, which they knew they'd have to make up for later) about every topic ranging from fun ("What's your favorite meme?" "Such doge. Very meme." "Oh, ha ha.") to serious ("I just don't get it, Alec. Rachel always seemed... I don't know."). She makes sure to point all the cute boys she can. (She's trying to make him blush, but then Alec casually said  _but look at that one's ass_ and she lost it. He liked messing with her. Also, it was a  _fine_ ass.)

Isabelle loved her brother  _so goddamn much_ sometimes. 

 

The next day, before the football game, (she was, surprisingly, a huge fan of football) she was in the locker rooms. Her locker was cleaned (one of the sympathetic cheerleaders mentioned her 'tall, hot brother with the hazel eyes' had came in early to clean it off. He'd been very polite, apparently) and she smiled at that. There was a new binder inside, her uniform was pristine and untouched, her papers replaced.

A little sticky note was stuck on top of it, a single sharpie smiley face scrawled on it.

She's so busy checking everything, then changing, she almost misses the huge commotion.

But then Rachel marches into the locker room and up to her, furious and covered in... some sort of gooey, watery, colorful substance.

"You did this, didn't you, dyke?!" she howled.

"Rachel," someone said, trying to placate her, "Isabelle was nowhere near you-"

"She did it!" Rachel shrieked. "She had someone else do it, but  _she's responsible-!"_

"What _is_  that?" Isabelle asked in a disinterested tone, taking pride in how she kept her expression bored and calm.

"It's a  _slushie_!" she screeched. "I'll never get it out of my hair!"

Isabelle shrugged. "You could try using-"

" _I don't need your advice."_ she hissed.

She turned to storm away, but Isabelle caught a flash of bright yellow on her back.

"What's that?" she asked. 

One of the cheerleaders picked it off. "It's a... smiley face?" she asked, brow wrinkling.

She turned it towards Isabelle.

It was identical to the one she'd found in her locker.

Isabelle couldn't help it. She laughed.

A couple cheerleaders gave her a nasty look.

Rachel turned a nasty shade of red and finally stormed away.

 

 

Later, she finds out that the the cameras didn't see anything, and despite there being at least five people in the room (including her brother), there weren't any witnesses, either.

(Rachel did get the slushie out of her hair by the next day.)

Isabelle didn't know why, but no one brought it up again. Even the ones who agreed with Rachel- even Rachel- didn't say anything. They still gave her dirty looks, but not one slur passed their lips.

No one mentioned it.

 

So it's a month later when she tentatively tries again (Aline, a member of drama club) and she gets a _much_ different response.

Aline blushes furiously, stutters out a,  _well, y-yes, actually, that sounds nice,_ and Izzy has a date. A date with a cute girl.

No one gives her shit about it. She suspects Alec has something (or everything) to do with it. She makes sure to bring him coffee more often. 

(Aline and her don't stay together for that long, but they end it on good terms and remain friends. Aline actually ends up with Helen, a girl in her French class.)

She makes sure to thank Alec later while they're eating lunch, and he pretends he has no idea what's she talking about. (She can tell he does, though, because he keeps grinning when he thinks she's not looking at him.)

 

 

Izzy has the best big brother _ever_ , and she's well aware of it.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so it begins...
> 
>  
> 
> side note: the next chapter of "Just Dance (Gonna Be Okay)" is being difficult but it's alMOST FINISHED I SWEAR


	2. Jace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jace is their new foster brother. He's like a platypus. He doesn't do much.

 

When Jace first came to the Lightwood house, he was a skinny ten-year old with skinny legs and angry golden eyes. 

He didn't talk much. He didn't eat much. He didn't do much of anything, except get into (and out of) trouble.

And yet he was effortlessly good at everything he did without even trying.

He was their parents' new golden boy. Everything he did was met with praise. Suddenly, the Lightwood siblings were shoved to the side.

Izzy  _hated_ him.

 

Jace didn't ever get punished.

Before he arrived, Izzy knocked over a vase and got grounded for nearly a month.

A week into his stay, Jace knocked over the matching one, and all it took was a little angelic smile and he got off without so much as a harsh word.

"How can you not  _hate_ him?" Isabelle whined. Alec sighed.

They were sitting side by side, backs to the wall and knees pulled up.

"We don't know anything about him," Alec said quietly. "He could just be troubled."

"Troubled," Izzy scoffed. "You've been reading too many books. You just think he's cute, don't you?"

Alec blushed. "What? No!" he said. "He's our new  _foster brother._ "

"Foster," Izzy said pointedly, pouting. "Anyway, it doesn't matter. He's a jerkface. And boys are icky anyway."

"That's because you're eight," Alec teased.

Izzy stuck her tongue out at him. "Either way, he's a butt and we should just stay away."

"We can't avoid him forever," Alec pointed out. "He's  _living_ with us."

He was wise for an eleven year old.

"We don't know how  _long_ he's living with us," Izzy said. "He could be gone any day."

"Don't say that," Alec said, eyes growing wider. "He doesn't have anywhere to go!"

Izzy huffed, but didn't push.

 

"Hey," Alec said quietly, sinking into the chair next to Jace. They were in his parents' private library.

Jace didn't even look at him.

"Do you wanna play a game?" he asked.

Jace tensed a little, but he didn't look away from his book.

"I know you're not reading," Alec said. "It's okay if you don't want to, you know, but you don't have to pretend."

"How do  _you_ know I'm not reading?" Jace asked contemptuously. "You're like, nine."

"I'm eleven," Alec said, unbothered, "and your book's upside down."

Jace's cheeks flushed violent red, and he slammed the book shut. "Well if  _you're_ so clever, old man,"he snapped, and tossed the book towards him.

Alec stumbled back, fumbling as he caught it. By the time he had righted himself, Jace was gone.

 

Alec didn't try again until almost a week later.

("Why do you even bother?" complained his little sister.

"Because he needs a friend," Alec said, rolling his eyes.)

Alec approached Jace's bedroom door.

He could hear muffled words from behind it.

_"The qu- quick bro-winn... the quick browinn..."_

Alec began to gently swig the door open. "Do you wan- what are you doing?"

Alec ventured closer to get a closer look at what Jace was reading.

Jace sputtered, angrily sweeping off the contents of his desk so Alec couldn't see it. "None of your business!"

But Alec had already picked up one of the books.

A beginners book. A little kid's book. A 'learn how to read' book.

_The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog. The lazy dog-_

Alec tore his eyes from the page. "Jace?" he asked, amazed. "Can you read?"

Jace's furious silence was answer enough.

"Get out of my room!" he said lowly.

"Jace, I can-"

" _Get out!"_

 

 The next time Jace opened his laptop, there was a tab already open. Apparently he'd been signed up for online classes.

At least three new books were left on his bed that night.

He wondered if it was the eldest Lightwood boy- Alex. Alec?

It hardly mattered.

(It's not like  _this_ family was any different. It's not like they would  _keep_ him.)

 

He noticed hazel eyes following him a lot more than he had before.

Alec seemed to be around every corner, behind every bookshelf. Always at a respectable distance, never close enough to be a bother, but he was so often there, Jace almost grew accustomed to it.

 

He never directly confronted him about the matter.

In the end, Jace went to Alec.

(How else could it have ended?)

 

Alec read Izzy part of a book every night.

Today, they were starting a new one. Harry Potter, of course. The first one.

But then, another pair of feet shuffled into the room, and they were met with sheepish golden eyes and mussed blonde curls.

"May I join you?" he asked, far too formal.

Izzy looked like she wanted to say something, but Alec elbowed her. "Of course."

 

By the end of the night, Izzy liked Jace a lot more.

They had a similar evil sense of humor, albeit Jace favoring slightly more immature jokes (while Izzy liked a clever pun).

 

"I can't read," Jace admitted softly a few days later to Alec. "I mean, I can, just... not very well. My dad used to say I was stupid."

"I don't think you're stupid," Alec said, "Or you wouldn't have beaten me at chess, right? Besides, I bet you can totally learn how to read."

Jace blinked. "But it's no use," he said. "By the time I get any help or a tutor or whatever, I'll just be moving again."

"You're leaving?" Alec cried out, dismayed. "Why? You've been here almost two months! Everyone's been good, Mom and Dad love you, only Izzy doesn't absolutely adore you and even she's warming up to you!"

"Really?" Jace asked doubtfully.

"Really!" Alec insisted. "Why do you have to leave?"

"I dunno," Jace said. "I just... I always have to leave. No one wants to adopt me."

"We're gonna adopt you," Alec decided. "And you're gonna learn how to read and we're going to be  _best friends._ "

 

They did, indeed, become best friends.

 

(Maryse thought it was cute, if a bit strange, when her oldest ran up to her dragging along their foster child and insisting they had to adopt him  _right now_.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> kind of short, but honestly my original idea for this chapter involved bad karaoke, but I figured I should treat this one like it's more serious, just like the others, and this sort of happened. Not my best work, but I actually kind of like it... hmm.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoyed! Stay tuned for Clary, up next-!


	3. Clary

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clary is absolutely terrified. Alec (whom, before now, she'd thought lowkey hated her) supports her every step of the way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm sorry i don't actually know anything about babies or pregnacy check-ups/tests so i just hope i was accurate
> 
>  
> 
> TRIGGER WARNING: (SPOILERS): FALSE PREGNANCY, LOST CHILD (TECHNICALLY CHILD NEVER ACTUALLY HAPPENED BUT STILL)

 

Clary was terrified.

Two lines.

Two lines on the pregnancy test.

She was  _pregnant._

 

What was she going to do?

She didn't even know who the father was!

She hadn't had a boyfriend or a solid relationship in a while, but... God, she'd had a few hookups, but she'd always used protection-

Shit, how was she going to do this- much less alone?

Who was she going to tell?

 

"Luke's gonna kill me," she muttered hysterically to herself, tears burning in her eyes as she paced back and forth, "Shit, what am I going to  _do_?"

Should she get an abortion? Adoption?

Should she keep it? Did she want to?  _Could_ she?

Should she try to find the father? Should she tell Jace or Isabelle or Simon? Her parents?

What would they  _think_?

Her thoughts were racing, she couldn't stop thinking about it- fuck, fuck, there was a  _baby inside her right fucking now-_

"Fuck, fuck, fuck-" she said under her breath, trying not to cry, fists clenched. " _Fuck-_ "

 

"Something wrong?" someone said behind her. She jumped, letting out a small shriek.

"Alec!" Clary exclaimed. "You- you scared the  _shit_ out of me!"

She brushed some hair out of her eyes nervously.

Alec frowned. "You didn't answer my question."

 

Now, here's the thing.

Alec wasn't really her friend, per-say. There'd been the whole awkward thing of her having dated  _both_ of his siblings at some point, plus the fact they simply didn't like each other too much- they were more  _acquaintances_ then anything.

But she felt really emotionally unstable right now, okay?

 

She immediately burst into tears.

Alec looked a little overwhelmed.

 

Ten minutes later, they were sitting in the shadowy corner booth of a nearby cafe, and Alec had gotten her a warm coffee and a packet of tissues.

He still seemed a little uncomfortable, but he surprisingly, he was  _immensely_ helpful.

 

"What's wrong?" he asked softly.

She sniffed, wiping at her nose with a tissue.

"I'm sorry," she said, "I'm a mess. You really don't have to-"

"Shush," Alec huffed. "I asked what was wrong, not if I have to be here or not."

"Did you just shush me?"

"Yes," Alec said. "If you don't want to talk about it with me, I can call Jace or Izzy if you want- or Simon?"

"No!" Clary said too quickly.

Alec raised an eyebrow.

"O-kay," he said. "So... do you wanna talk about it?"

She exhaled, then took a long sip of her coffee.

"I- I don't know what to do," she confessed finally. "I- I just- Luke's gonna  _kill_ me, Mom's gonna be pissed-"

Alec didn't take his eyes off her. He was such a good listener, it just... burst out.

"I'm pregnant!" 

His eyebrows flew up.

Clary started crying again, just a little. "Shit, I- I don't know what I'm gonna  _do,_ " she sobbed. "I don't even- I don't even know who the father is, how do I tell Simon and Izzy and Jace? My parents- _fuck,_  I gotta go to the clinic  _alone_ and they're gonna think I'm a slut or something, I just- what do I  _do?"_

Clary felt helpless. Her head bowed, her shoulders shaking softly, red hair falling forward to obscure her face.

A warm hand gripped her shoulder. An awkward, yet surprising comforting gesture.

She looked up, tears running down her face. Alec didn't look angry, or disgusted, so that was a good sign. He looked... determined, actually.

"You're  _not_ a slut, Clary," he said firmly. "And you're not going to the clinic alone, either."

"What?" she choked out. Her bright green eyes were red rimmed. Her hands were shaking.

"I'll go with you," he stated, like it was obvious. "If you want. You don't have to tell the others if you don't want to."

She gave another small sob. "You- you would do that?"

He nodded firmly.

"But- why?" she asked. "You- you don't even  _like_ me-"

Alec flushed slightly. "I don't  _dislike_ you," he said. "Besides, you're not...  _not_ my friend."

Clary was pretty sure this was his roundabout way of saying that she was his friend.

She sniffed and threw her arms around him. The angle was slightly awkward due to the table, but the table wasn't very wide, anyway.

He seemed a little awkward and tense, but he wrapped his arms around her, too.

"You're gonna be okay," he said quietly into her hair after a few moments.

She gave a wet, muffled laugh. "Thanks," she said into his shirt.

 

He was true to his word. A few days later, when she went to get her check-up, he was there. 

Alec didn't correct the doctor when she assumed they were dating and/or engaged. He just gave a painfully awkward smile and followed her into the office.

He was just- _there._ The whole time.

Through every step.

He asked practical, helpful questions. He _supported_ her.

 

It was a week later Clary told him quietly that she wanted to keep the child.

Alec had given her a tiny grin and told her that he had already found her a dinosaur onesie for the baby _. Gender ambiguous and classy,_ he claimed. She laughed. 

 

It was in those few weeks she got to know Alec... well, a lot better. Actually  _talking_ to him helped.

For one, he had a  _wicked_ sense of humor- very dry and sarcastic. Her favorite kind of humor.

(He also appreciated dad jokes. He reminded her of Luke, sometimes. That was the best compliment she could ever give, really.)

For another, he evidently hated mushrooms. And cigarettes.

His favorite colors were gold and brown. 

(He learned about her, too- for example, her favorite colors were blue and green, she liked lilac but hated rose, and she was  _very, very_ good at innuendos.)

 

"Where are  _you two_ going?" Izzy asked incredulously.

"Hmm?" Clary asked, about to follow Alec out of the room. "Oh, Alec promised to show me that pizza place you guys went to last week. Apparently, they have some really cool art there. See ya guys later!"

"Since when did _Clary and Alec_ hang out?" she heard Izzy ask Jace, but she didn't bother listening for a reply.

 

"You know you should probably tell them eventually," Alec said gently as they rounded the corner.

"I know," she said, holding her head high. "I... I will."

 

She didn't. Yet.

 

She had a whole plan. After her second doctor appointment. That's when she would tell them all.

(Alec would be there, she knew. Somehow, the thought helped.)

 

It was almost two weeks after that first pregnancy test when it happened.

She hadn't gone to the doctor's yet, but it was tonight- but when she woke up, it was in a small puddle of blood.

It was unpleasant situation that she'd experienced before- but not while she was pregnant.

You didn't have a period while you were pregnant.

 

When Alec got a text to come to Clary's apartment, he wasn't really sure what it was about.

But the second he opened the door, he had an armful of shaking redhead.

"Whoa- um, are you okay?"

She wrapped her arms around him tighter. "No," she whispered.

 

"You're- not pregnant?" he asked.

They were sitting on the couch side by side, and Clary was trying not to cry again. Her roiling emotions tore her in so many directions- grief, anger, relief, sadness.

She was devastated. Relieved.

"No," Clary said softly, lips trembling. "I went to the doctor to... make sure. I'm not- it was a false positive. Apparently, they didn't catch it before because they thought it was early on. They didn't- they didn't do a very in-depth test, or something. But I- I don't even know what to  _think."_

Alec nudged her shoulder lightly. "That's okay," he said gently. "You don't have to. It's... it's shocking news."

"I- I haven't even told anyone," she said disbelievingly. "Just you. Not that- not that you don't  _count,_ just-"

"I get it," he said, chuckling a little. "It's fine."

"But I- I just-" she huffed, trying to think of a way to describe what she was feeling.

After a moment, Clary exhaled. "It'd be like... if someone gave you a cat. A fat, ugly cat that you didn't like, but you had to take care of, and pay for, and feed. And it wasn't declawed, so it was kind of scary. But then... then you get to _like_ the cat. It's warm and it likes sitting on your lap and you kind of want to keep it. You get used to the idea of taking care of this cat. But then... then the person comes and take the cat back again, and you can never see that cat again. Ever. You can even get a new cat, even if it will be a lot of work, but it's not the same. It's not  _your_ cat."

"Just to clarify*," Alec said, "The ugly cat is... the unborn child?"

"Yes," Clary said, flushing lightly. "It's the best metaphor I could think of."

"No- no, I get it," Alec said, nodding. "I- it's hard. It has to be."

Tears burned at her eyes again. "Yeah," she said a little hoarsely, not letting them fall. "It's hard."

(This time _he_ hugged _her_.)

 

They never end up telling their friends (or Clary's parents) about it. Alec never says a word, and he never questions it when Clary doesn't tell them.

He supports her, of course.

 

 

("You're the best big brother ever," she'll tell him later, smiling, eyes still red-rimmed, and he'll give a bright, genuine smile and duck his head bashfully and then say playfully, "I know.")

 

(The dinosaur onesie stays in the back of her closet, even as it gets old, and she always keeps it. If she ever does have a child, she knows, it will be theirs.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *CLARYify


End file.
